Lincoln's Plan of Reconstruction

Lincoln's PLAN of RECONSTRUCTION

In 1863, Lincoln wanted to restore civil governement in conquered areas of the Civil War, where military governement rulled by the right of conquest.

On December, 8 1863, Lincold proposed a PLAN of RECONSTRUCTION:

It offered pardon, to any Confederate who would swear to support the Constitution and the Union. If 1/10 of that state's total vote in the election of 1860 took the oath of loyality , they were to form state governements which

he promised to recognize.

CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION

Louisiana, Tenessee and Arkansas followed this procedure, but the Congress still refuse to recognize their new representatives.

Wade-Davis Bill of July 1864 : Conquered states were territories and subjet to control by Congress.

Lincoln used his pocket veto.

He was assassinated in April 1865.

Radical Republicans, led by Charles Sumner, and Thaddeus Stevens, opposed a lenient Reconstruction plan.

Republicans wanted to guarantee

Negro suffrage, who would be grateful to the Republican Party.

Creation of the Freedmen's Bureau by the R. :

Ð'* Aid for refugees

Ð'* Distributed rations

Ð'* Found employment

Ð'* Transported home those displaced by the war

Ð'* Established schools and hospitals

JOHNSON AND RECONSTRUCTION

Andrew Johnson, anti-black and anti-aristocratic. Poor white, always loyal to the Union, slave owner, consider the Negro inferior.

First Tn Senator, then Lincoln's Vice President. Democrat.

Lenient policy towards the South.

He appointed civil governors to southern states, and authorised new constitutions, even before Lincoln's 1/10.

By 1865, all but Tx had their own governements. Each of the state legislature, except Tn, enacted Black Codes to maintain the substance of slavery.

These codes:

Ð'* Deprived Negroes of the right to vote

Ð'* Excluded them from testifying against white men

Ð'* Punished them more severely

Ð'* Involuntary servitude

Ð'* Corporal punishment

Ð'* Forbidden to leave before end of their terms

Southerners were trying to restore slavery.

CONGRESSIONAL REACTION

Congress met in December 1865, refused to admit the representatives from to seceded states.

Creation of a Joint committee to supervise the progress of Reconstruction.

Stevens and Sumner, friends of the Freedmen, and foes of the South.

According

...